Table



flAug. 20, 1929.

HQPICARD ET AL TABLE Filed Aug. 29, 1928- 3 Sheets-Sheet l I LEM/dons Eli/71241? Attorneys 1929- H. PICA-RD ET AL TABLE Filed Aug. 29, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet Earl? Attorney:

H. PICARD AL TABLE Filed-Aug. 29, 1928 a Shets-Sheet a 8 r a 7 1 1 W I m 2 m 6 p d I L an d 6 M W 1 1 3% //V/ r /7/ x//////H w I. kw 1.. g w I M W I W J l I I l 1 Attorney Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRI PICARD AND JOSEPH SIMARD, OF ST. DONAT, QUEBEC, CANADA.

TABLE.

Application filed August 29, 1928.

The present invention relates to improvements in table construction and has particular reference to a balanced table adapted for use upon ships and the like.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a table balanced to retain a substantially horizontal position regardless of the rolling or pitching of a ship, or the like, upon which the same is mounted.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a table and chair supporting platform supported in balanced position and means associated therewith adapted to normally retain the same in a substantially hori zontal position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a table and chair supporting structure supported in balanced relation and associated with mechanism adapted to retain the same in equipoised position upon a rolling or pitching surface.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a balanced table structure associated with mechanism operable to retain the same in a horizontal balancing position and having means for automatically operating said mechanism in response to the rolling or pitching movement of the supporting surface.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a table structure of the above character which will be comparatively simple in construction and efiicient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the descrip' tion progresses.

In the accompanying drawing forming a I part of this specification and in which like reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the construction embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the same,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 14 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 8,

Figure 6 is an enlarged section the line 6-6 of Figure 3, I

Fiefure 7 is an enlarged section taken on the; line i -=7 of Figure 12, and

taken on Serial No. 302,800.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the wiring connections.

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 generally designates the floor boards of a deck or floor construction upon which. is mounted an upstanding table support frame 11.

The support frame 11 is preferably of pyramidal construction embodying four corner standards 12 enclosed in a suitable casing.

Balanced on the support frame 11, preferably by means of a ball and socket joint, is a table 13. The balancing means preferably embodies a ball section 14 fixed on and projecting above the frame 11 and engaging a socket section 15 mounted in a recess in the centre of the table to provide a rotatable support.

Suspended from the table 13 so as to surround the lower portion of the support frame 11 is a platform 16 spaced from the support frame and supported by a plurality of depending rods 17 pivotally connected with the table and rigidly secured to the platform. The platform is arranged to accommodate a plurality of, in the present instance four, chairs 18 which may be conveniently arranged about the table. The platform 16 is thus positioned substantially above the floor boards 10 and will retain a position parallel with the table normally in a horizontal plane.

Pivotally connected with the table and depending therefrom, are a plurality of, in the present instance four, table adjusting arms 19 arranged in complementary opposed pairs and formed at their lower ends with right angular inwardly extending portions '20. The inner ends of the extensions 20 are pivotally connected to outwardly flaring brackets 21 provided at their inner ends with vertically disposed, interiorly threaded sleeves 22.

Rotatably supported upon the floor 10, or any form of base structure, are a pair of vertical, diametrically opposed screw shafts 23 adjacent the lower ends of which are fixed worm wheels 24. The worm wheels 24 are in mesh with a common worm gear 25 fixed on the intermediate portion of a horizontal shaft 261; The ends of the shaft 26 are mounted driving motors 2'7; preferably electrically driven. On the upper portions of the screw shafts 23 are threadedly mounted the sleeves 22 which are vertically adjusted upon rotary operation of the shafts and wheels 2a to vary the vertical positions of the arms 19 articulated with the brackets 21 attached to the sleeves.

A horizontal partition 28 is secured in the intermediate portionof the support frame 11 above the gears 25, this partition supporting a second pair of vertical screw shafts 29 rotatably mounted thereon and carrying worm gears 30. The gears 30 are in mesh with a worm 31 fixed on the intermediate portion of a horizontal drive shaft 32 arranged transversely at an oblique angle with respect to the shaft 26 and having its end portions associated with motors 33. The shafts 29 are associated with and drive an upper pair of sleeves 22 connected with an opposed pair of table adjusting arms 19.

The foregoing operating mechanism is controlled by automatically operated switches mounted in vertically elongated housings 34 depending from diagonally opposed corners of the table 13. In the lower ends of the housings 34 are mounted directly op posed angular switch contact members 35 fixed in the housing. Freely suspended in the central portion of the housing is a pendulum member 36 carrying weights 37 at its lower end. Projecting downwardly from the weights 37 are a pair of straight contact bars 38 arranged to normally assume positions between the contacts 35 and adapted to engage one or the other of these contacts when the table tends to assume an angular position with respect to the horizontal.

The mechanism is operated by means of an electric circuit, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, obtaining current from an ordinary 110 volt socket or other source of energy. The circuit embodies a main conductor 39 extending from the socket to one of the motors 33. The opposed terminal of the said motor is connected by means of a conductor 43 with one of the pendulum contacts 38. The fixed contact 35 being connected to the other side of the source of energy by a wire 40, the circuit is completed through the motor 33, which is caused to rotate. The other pendulum contact is connected with the complementary motor 33, and the remaining fixed contact 35 to the conductor 39.

A branch 42, from the conductor 39,- leads to one terminal of one motor 27, the other side'of which is connected to one contact 35 of the lower left-hand weight housing 34, by means of a wire 41. The complementary motors 27 and 33 are likewise connected so that when the rigid support frame 11 as sumes a position at an inclination to the true vertical centre, the table will be initially tilted from the horizontal to a slight degree so that .one of the pendulum contacts 38 will engage an adjacent contact 35 to close one of the motor circuits. The motor will be operated to rotate one of the shafts 26 or 32 causing rotary operation of the gearing which in turn will operate a suitable screw shaft 23 or 29 to vertically adjust one of the brackets 21 and correspondingly adjust the articulated arm 19 to compensate for the angular displacement of the table.

In this manner, the table and platform suspended therefrom will be constantly maintained in a relatively horizontal plane so that persons dining at the table will be unaffected by the rolling or pitching of the vessel.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes as to the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub joined claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim'z An apparatus of the character described comprising a rigid support frame, a table rotatably balanced on the said frame, a plurality of arms suspended from the table, vertically adjustable bracket members pivotally connected with the lower ends of the said arms, motor operated mechanism operable to vertically adjust the position of said brackets, and a plurality of gravity switches electrically associated with the mechanism adapted to operate the same when the table tends to assume a position inclined to the horizontal to compensate for the variation of angular displacement between said table' and support frameto retain the table in a horizontal plane.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

HENRI PICARD. JOSEPH SIMARD. 

